From the category archives:

FAQ’s

Punching Nail Holes in Horseshoes

September 21, 2010 0 comments

Punching a horseshoe nail hole that is clean so the nail fits tight and is safe for the horse is an art that must be perfected to be useful and practical. The hole must be positioned over the outside of the white line to be safe. The hole should have pitch to match the angle [...]

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Farrier Certification – To Certify or Not to Certify – That is the Question

September 14, 2010 5 comments

What value is farrier certification? If the horse owning public doesn’t know what it is, how difficult it is to do the accurate work necessary to obtain it, and the value it has for their horse(s) – it has little value. If it becomes nothing more than a fraternity initiation which includes hazing, it has [...]

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How to Choose and Use a Farrier’s Anvil

August 31, 2010 0 comments

The anvil is one of the most important tools used by the farrier. Chances are you will only choose your anvil once. Its choice should be a matter of study as it will affect your work as much as any other tool.  Its use and location should determine your selection.  Types, Makes, and Weights of [...]

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FAQ #16 – Can you tell me what to look for when looking at the heel?

April 22, 2010 1 comment

“Doug, I attended your Horse Expo seminar this past March in Lincoln and really enjoyed your lecture.  I never thought that I would have to bring out notes from what you talked about in such a short amount of time, but we ended up having a horse go lame on us this spring.  We saw [...]

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FAQ #14 By looking at the outside of the horse’s foot, how can you tell what position the P3 bone is inside the hoof, if it’s out of normality or – if so – at what degree? How can you analyze how to trim and what to do in relation to a rotated or tilted bone?

February 20, 2010 1 comment

The best way to tell the position of the Distal Phalanx, or P3, is to have a lateral/medial radiograph of the hoof.  Usually, the foot will have to be placed on a block to get the x-ray beam parallel to the base of the bone. Without an x-ray, you can look at the slope of [...]

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FAQ #13 Why does a horse get nail-quicked?

January 22, 2010 0 comments

Hoof wall thicknesses vary. There is a very small margin for error. The farrier must pay close attention to selecting and driving each nail.  Not all nails are manufactured perfectly, and misshapen nails might not drive straight. However, nail quicking isn’t the only kind of quicking that can affect a horse – he can also [...]

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FAQ #12 What hoof knife brands are the best for their money?

January 15, 2010 0 comments

I believe the NC Tool hoof knife is the best value for the money.  They come sharp and are easy to keep sharp.  And they are relatively inexpensive to replace.  I think the best hoof knives in the market are Ringel knives.  I use them in my work, for they are made of high quality [...]

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FAQ #11 In my horseshoeing business, what is the best way to raise my prices for trimming and shoeing?

December 28, 2009 0 comments

This question and its answer depends upon your experience, length of time in practice, how many clients you currently have, status of your local economy, competition, etc.   Do you provide perceivable value for your clients?  How will you communicate this change — will you call and tell them, send them a letter,  postcard or email, [...]

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FAQ #10 Do I have to read all the pages in The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3) before coming to your school?

December 15, 2009 0 comments

Answer: You are not required to read all the pages before you arrive. You’ll find after enrolling and completing the application process that a copy of P3 will be sent to you, and you are at liberty to use your copy to read and study as you wish. There is a homework assignment on five [...]

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FAQ #9 What’s normal hoof size?

December 7, 2009 0 comments

Answer: A hoof that is proportional to the horse’s body size allows for ideal distribution of body weight over the foot’s laminar surface. (Laminar surface refers to the area where the sensitive laminae, attached to the coffin bone, interlocks with the horny laminae at the hoof wall.) When the foot is proportional to body size, [...]

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